Cocos Islands Geography

Total area:
14 km2

Land area:
14 km2; main islands are West Island and Home Island

Comparative area:
about 24 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
none

Coastline:
2.6 km

Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 3 nm

Disputes:
none

Climate:
pleasant, modified by the southeast trade wind for about nine months of the year; moderate rain fall

Terrain:
flat, low-lying coral atolls

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

Environment:
two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

Note:
located 1,070 km southwest of Sumatra Indonesia in the Indian Ocean about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka

Cocos Islands People

Population:
597 (July 1992), growth rate - 0.5% (1992)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Net migration rate:
NA migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Infant mortality rate:
NA deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth:
NA years male, NA years female (1992)

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (1992)

Nationality:
noun - Cocos Islander(s); adjective - Cocos Islander

Ethnic divisions:
mostly Europeans on West Island and Cocos Malays on Home Island

Religions:
almost all Sunni Muslims

Languages:
English

Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

Labor force:
NA

Organized labor:
none

Cocos Islands Government

Long-form name:
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Type:
territory of Australia

Capital:
West Island

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

Constitution:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

Legal system:
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

National holiday:
NA

Executive branch:
British monarch, governor general of Australia,administrator, chairman of the Islands Council

Legislative branch:
unicameral Islands Council

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Leaders:

Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

Head of Government:
Administrator B. CUNNINGHAM (since NA); Chairman of the Islands Council Haji Wahin bin BYNIE (since NA)

Suffrage:
NA

Elections:
NA

Member of:
none

Diplomatic representation:
none (territory of Australia)

Flag:
the flag of Australia is used

Cocos Islands Economy

Overview:
Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia.

GDP:
$NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%

Budget:
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports:
$NA

commodities:
copra

partners:
Australia

Imports:
$NA

commodities:
foodstuffs

partners:
Australia

External debt:
$NA

Industrial production:
growth rate NA%

Electricity:
1,000 kW capacity; 2 million kWh produced, 2,980 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries:
copra products

Agriculture:
gardens provide vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Economic aid:
none

Currency:
Australian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3360 (January 1992), 1.2836 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Cocos Islands Communications

Ports:
none; lagoon anchorage only

Airports:
1 airfield with permanent-surface runway, 1,220-2,439 m; airport on West
Island is a link in service between Australia and South Africa

Telecommunications:
250 radios (1985); linked by telephone, telex, and facsimile communications via satellite with
Australian broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV

Cocos Islands Defence Forces
defence is the responsibility of Australia.

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